Station-indicator.



W. E. FRENCH.

STATION INDICATOR.

APPLICATION FILED 0U. 28. 1915.

Patented Apr. 10, 1917.

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W. E. FRENCH.

STATION INDICATOR.

APPLICATION FILED car. 28. l9l5.

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NASHVILLE NEW ORLEANS Patented ApnlO, 1917.

WILLIAM E. FRENCH, OF CLINTWOOD, VIRGINIA.

STATION-INDICATOR.

Application filed October 28, 1915.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, WILLIAM E. FRENCH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Clintwood, in the county of Dickenson and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Station-Indicators; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in devices for indicating the names of stations and streets along railways, herdic and jitney bus lines, and along various other courses of travel, as such stations or streets are approached by the vehicle.

The object of the invention is to provide an indicator of the class specified which although being of simple and inexpensive construction, will be highly eflicient and durable and may be readily operated by a person in charge by simply pressing a button as each stop is approached.

With the end above set forth in view, my invention consists of certain novel features of construction and in unique combinations of parts to be hereinafter fully described and claimed, the descriptive matter being supplemented by the accompanying drawings which constitute a part of this application and in which:

Figures 1 and 2 are respectively a front and anend view of a device constructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section as seen on the plane designated by the line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a detail longitudinal vertical section through one end of the device;

Figs. 5 and 6 are detail vertical longitudinal sections taken respectively on the lines 5-5 and 6-6 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one of the sliding shoes operated by one of the buttons above mentioned;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of one of the stop levers;

Fig. 9 is a similar view of one of the fixed tracks;

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of one'of the pins upon which the sliding shoes seen in Fig. 7 are mounted;

Fig. 11 is a detail transverse section through one of the winding rollers; and

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary elevation of the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented a is, rare.

Serial No. 58,407.

ribbon upon which the names of the stations, streets, etc., are printed.

In specifically describing the structure shown in the figures above briefly described, similar reference characters will be placed on corresponding parts throughout the sev eral views, and in the descriptive matter these parts will be referred to by such characters. To this end, the numeral 1 designates a preferably rectangular casing, one of whose ends is hinged at 2 to an upright back plate 3, the latter being secured by any preferred means to an appropriate upright part of the vehicle on which the device is to be carried. The end of the casing 1 remote from the hinges 2, is equipped with any suitable type of lock indicated by the numeral 4.. Thus it will be seen that when the lock is released, the entire casing may be swung forwardly for the purpose of gaining access to its interior.

Rotatably mounted in any suitable manner within the casing 1, is a pair of vertically spaced rollers 5 preferably having annular flanges 6 adjacent their ends for guiding a display ribbon 7 whose opposite ends are wound on the two rollers, the intermediate portion of said ribbon being passed through appropriate guides 8 in rear of a glass covered view opening 9 formed in the front of the casing 1, whereby as the ribbon is wound from one roller onto the other, the names of the various stations, streets, etc., will be displayed for the benefit of the occupants of the vehicle. Spaces 10 preferably exist on the ribbon 7 between the names 11 of the numerous stops, whereby after one stop has been passed, a blank may be displayed until the next station is approached, whereupon the name of the latter may be positioned in view.

In order to shift the ribbon 7 to produce the results above described, springs 12 are used, such springs being preferably housed within the rollers 5 with one end secured thereto at 13 while the other ends of such springs are anchored at 14 to shafts 15 upon which the rollers are'revolubly mounted. One end of each shaft 15 is squared as seen at 16 for the reception of an appropriate winding key 17 carried by one end of the casing, and this end of each shaft is equipped with a ratchet wheel 18 with which detents or pawls 19 cooperate, such pawls being pivotally supported and being capable of movement into and out of engagement with the ratchet wheels 18 by the provision of a pair of knobs 20 on the exterior of the casing. As will be hereinafter more clearly set forth, when the ribbon 7 is being wound upon one roller from the other, the pawl 19 of the latter is released, thus throwing the spring of this roller out of action.

Movable one with each roller 5, are two series of circumferentially spaced stops 21, such stops being shown in the present embodiment of the invention as formed on the peripheries of a pair of disks 22 secured to the shafts 15. Preferably, though not necessarily, the peripheries of the disks 22 are formed with notches 23 immediately in advance of the stops 21.

Cooperating with the stops 21 and notches 23, are the noses 24 formed on one end of obliquely positioned levers 25, such levers being fulcrumed between their ends upon fulcrum pins 26 to fixed tracks 27. It will be observed that the tracks 27 and levers 25 converge inwardly and that they are formed with longitudinal grooves or the like 28 receiving the suitably shaped inclined ends of upright sliding shoe plates 29, said plates being positioned in contact with the inner ends of buttons 30 as shown in Fig. 3 and having longitudinal slots 31 receiving pins 32 loosely held in bores 33 which open through the inner ends of the buttons 30, said pins being anchored at one end to the fulcrum pins 26. Springs 34 surround the inner end portions of the pins 32 and force the shoe plates 29 normally into contact with the buttons 80, while other springs 35 connect the inner ends of the tracks and levers, whereby to normally'so actuate the latter as to present their noses 24 into contact with the peripheries of the disks 22 in cooperation with the stops 21 thereon. However, when the buttons 30 are forced inwardly, the shoe plates 29 will be shifted transversely of said buttons by the oblique tracks 27 and in so doing, will quickly rock the levers 25 in such a manner as to dispose the noses 24 out of the path of travel of the stops 2].. For reasons yet to appear, latching devices 36 are pivoted to the casing 1 whereby either one of the buttons 30 may be held against retraction after it has once been forced inwardly. By so doing, it is obvious that either of the noses 24 may be held in inoperative position.

In operation, assuming that the ribbon 7 is to be wound from the upper onto the lower roller, the pawl 19 of said upper roller is released by operation of its knob 20, and the uppermost button 30 is forced inwardly and held by its latch device 36. Thus, the entire upper roller is free to rotate without placing its spring 12 under tension. The spring of the lower roller, in the mean time, has been wound by the key 17, whereupon the moment the lowermost nose 24 is released, the spring of said lower roller will rotate the same a partial revolution, it being understood that retraction of the nose in question is effected by pushing inwardly upon the lowermost button 30. After forcing said button inwardly, however, it is immediately released, thus allowing the nose to be disposed in the path of the approaching stop 21 on the disk 22, the effect being that rotation of the roller is again arrested, while the name of the first station is displayed at the opening 9. After this station is passed, the lowermost button is again pressed, whereupon a blank space 10 will appear opposite the opening 9. Upon approaching the next stop, the lower button is again pressed disclosing the name of such stop. The machine is operated in this manner throughout the length of the route, and obviously when returning along the same route, the ribbon may be rewound on the upper roller by releasing the lowermost nose 24: and pawl 19, by winding the spring of the uppermost roller, and by operating the uppermost button 30 in the same manner in which the lowermost one was previously used.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be obvious that although the .invention is comparatively simple and inexpensive, it will be highly efficient and durable and will fulfil a long felt need in the art to which it relates.

Certain specific details of construction s have been shown in the drawings for illustrative purposes, and in the preceding I have described such details, but obviously, numerous changes may be made within the scope of the invention as claimed. For instance, 5 the ribbon 7 need not be equipped with the blanks .10, thus necessitating, however, that the name of one station be presented to view until the device is operated to display the name of the next.

I claim V 1. In a station indicator, the combination of a pair of spaced parallel rollers, a display ribbon having its opposite ends wound thereon, independent springs for rotating the two rollers, two series of circumferentially spaced stops movable one series with each roller, a pair of buttons movable one toward each series of stops, transverse sliding shoes at the inner ends of said buttons, oblique tracks on which one end of each of the shoes travels, oblique levers against which the other ends of said shoes. bear slidably, said levers being adapted for cotiperation with the aforesaid stops, latch devices for preventing retraction of either button when depressed, and means for throwing either spring out of action.

2. In a station indicator, the combination of a pair of spaced parallel rollers, a display ribbon having its opposite ends Wound thereon, independent springs for rotating the two rollers, tWo series of circumferentially spaced stops movable one series With each roller, a pair of buttons movable one toward each series of stops and having bores opening through their inner ends, pins slidable in said bores, fixed oblique tracks cross ing the pins, oblique levers crossing the tracks at their points of engagement with the pins, said levers being adapted for cooperation With the stops, fulcrurns passed through the tracks, the levers and the pins, transverse shoe plates contacting With the inner ends of the buttons and having slots receiving the pins, the ends of said plates being in sliding contact respectively with the levers and the tracks, springs on the pins for retaining the shoe plates in contact with the buttons, additional springs for retaining the levers in contact With the shoe plates, means for preventing retraction of either button when depressed, and means for throwing either spring out of action.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of tWo subscribing Witnesses.

WILLIAM E. FRENCH;

Witnesses:

S. J. GoLLnY, Jn, H. M. WALTON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Gommissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

